| Publications | France A-Z | France/U.S. Relations | France in the U.S. | News | Aller aux Etats-Unis | Just for Kids | Going to France | Contact |
|
Daily Press Briefing Statements made by [Please note that only the original French text issued by the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs may be considered official.]
TUNISIA/FRANCE
Foreign Minister Dominique de Villepin will receive Tunisian Foreign Minister Habib Ben Yahia on July 10 at 12 noon. The meeting, the third between the minister and his Tunisian counterpart and a sign of the dynamic relationship between Tunisian and France, should lead us to intensify a trustful political dialogue on all the regional and international questions and issues involving bilateral relations.
Mr. Ben Yahia will also see Edouard Balladur, chairman of the National Assembly Foreign Affairs Committee, in the afternoon.
Q - Is there any particular point that seems important or is it a third discussion to talk about what's going on in certain areas in the world.
The talks are very open. These are regular dialogues. While we talk about international current events, there is one issue which is important and which is certainly of interest to the Tunisian minister, and that is the Middle East. The minister is just back from that region where he made two important visits in the last few days. I expect they'll be talking about that. I imagine they'll also look at Euro-Mediterranean cooperation, a framework in which countries like France and Tunisia are especially engaged. They may also talk about the Francophony summit which is to take place in Beirut in October. There are a number of issues on which it will be interesting to exchange views and hear our Tunisian partners' viewpoints and analyses.
Q - Will they be talking about the human rights situation in Tunisia?
No subject is ruled out in discussions with our Tunisian interlocutors.
Q - Will the blocking of the Arab Maghreb Union and inter-Maghreb relations be on the agenda when the two ministers meet?
The general situation in the Maghreb and inter-regional cooperation among the members of the region might be discussed. As you know, France is closely following the efforts of the Maghreb countries to develop regional cooperation, and it goes without saying that this could come up in tomorrow's talks.
Q - Can you sum up Franco-Tunisian relations in one sentence?
They're close and dynamic.
GREECE/FIGHT AGAINST TERRORISM
As you know, the French government has made the fight against terrorism one of its priorities. We welcome the swift success of the Greek police after the June 29 attack in front of the ticket offices of the Hellas Flying Dolphin at the port of Piraeus.
We wish to renew our support for and confidence in the Greek government and officials on the ground in the fight against terrorism. We are pleased with the consultations between the relevant services of our two countries, which we hope will continue and expand.
The Arab World Institute [IMA] board met yesterday, July 8, 2002, to elect its new board. Denis Bauchard was elected president of the IMA on the proposal of the foreign minister. He succeeds Camille Cabana, who died on June 2 and who was president from 1995 to 2002. I would like to pay tribute today to the memory of Camille Cabana who did a great deal as head of the Arab World Institute from 1995 to 2002, and also congratulate Denis Bauchard on his election to the head of this especially important, prestigious institution which is so useful in the dialogue of cultures.
Q - Do you have any comment about the talks between the U.N. secretary-general and the Iraqi delegation in Vienna last Friday?
I'd like to say two things. First, just for the record, may I remind you of Mr. de Villepin's answers to questions asked at various press briefings in Damascus and Amman during his recent trip to the Middle East and in Russia yesterday. I think it's important to refer to this, today more than ever.
I'd also like to say, this morning, that France received yesterday the U.N. secretariat report on the meetings between Mr. Annan and Mr. Sabri in Vienna on July 4 and 5. We are pleased of course that progress has been made regarding the return of Kuwaiti archives. On the other hand we regret that the Iraqis have still not announced the return of inspectors to Iraq, a point the minister had insisted on specifically several times during the last few days, saying that France considers this to be essential. Our objectives with regard to Iraq remain unchanged at the humanitarian level and in the security domain. In that perspective we support the U.N. secretary-general's efforts in these discussions. The British Security Council president also said yesterday that the vast majority of the council hoped that the talks would continue.
Q - There've been statements from intellectuals about Iraq, a meeting of officers abroad, were you informed of developments in the situation? Are the Americans talking to you?
No. But obviously we have very close consultations with our American partners on all these questions. We're having intensive talks about Iraq with all our Security Council partners, including the Americans.
Q - Do France and Russia want the dialogue and negotiations between Iraq and the U.N. to continue?
As concerns France, I'd like to repeat what I said just now. Our objectives regarding Iraq remain unchanged at the humanitarian level and in the security domain. In that perspective, we're supporting the U.N. secretary-general's efforts in these discussions. As you know, following the Vienna talks, the secretary-general is now waiting for the Iraqi authorities to respond. It's best to wait for a response before coming to a definitive conclusion about the results or continuing the discussions. I also said just now, quite factually that the president of the Security Council said yesterday that the vast majority of the Council would like the talks to continue.
Q - The foreign minister is just back from Moscow where he ended his visit. How would you sum it up? And to be more specific, are the French and Russian positions on Iraq and the Mideast conflict identical or very close?
Q - What is France's position on Kaliningrad? Has there been progress concerning education and research?
I can confirm that Mr. de Villepin and the two ministers who accompanied him, Ms Haigneré and Mr. Ferry, returned from Moscow in the night.
The visit was a success. The French foreign minister met with the highest authorities in Russia and ended his trip in Moscow with a meeting with President Putin.
He also had talks throughout the day with a great many people including Foreign Minister Igor Ivanov, with whom he's already had several meetings. He met Defense Minister Sergeyev Ivanov, met many of your colleagues from the Russian press, and also had talks with Russian businessmen and French business executives working in the country.
The two ministers who went with him had working meetings with their respective counterparts. All this gave a real boost to relations between France and Russia. Our dialogue with Russia was strengthened at all levels as a result of the visit. Another reason for the visit was to prepare for the upcoming meeting between the French and Russian presidents which in principle is due to be held in Russia between now and the end of July. Mr. de Villepin conveyed a number of messages in his meetings. The first is France's wish to have a strong Russia as partner. That is equally important for relations between the European Union and Russia, and an important element for the world stability and security we have today.
Mr. de Villepin said, and I think his interlocutors understood him perfectly well, that France is resolved to maintain and develop a more intensive dialogue with this country on all issues, especially the main international questions. In regard to this, I can tell you-it was announced and confirmed yesterday--that a Franco-Russian security cooperation council has been set up; it's an important element in the dynamism we wish to bring to our dialogue with Russia.
The minister also told his interlocutors that he was determined to strengthen Franco-Russian bilateral relations in all areas. It is important for the economic operators of both countries to do far more than they're doing at present. It is important for us to welcome more Russian students to France. It is important that in such areas as high technology and space conquest two countries like France and Russia which are in the forefront in these sectors should be working together. The fact that Ms Haigneré was there was a reflection of France's determination to move forward in these areas. It was important, for the two issues you mentioned, that Mr. de Villepin expressed himself quite clearly, on the Middle East and Iraq, and that on these issues--also on many other international questions--that we could exchange points view, compare analyses and note that our analyses of many issues are very close and that we both want to continue working together on these questions.
As for Kaliningrad, what's important to remember from this visit is the fact that the question was raised and that the minister took two positions, one in support of the free circulation of Russian nationals from Kaliningrad, and one in favor of a pragmatic approach to this matter between the Europeans and Russian authorities.
In our view this issue should not become a thorn between the Russian authorities and European officials. We need to have a very pragmatic, dispassionate approach to achieving a concrete, practical result. That was the sense of Mr. de Villepin's discussions on this with his Russian interlocutors.
Q - Do you have any details about the meeting between the secretary of state for foreign affairs and the leader of the American Jewish Congress?
Renaud Muselier, Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, met today with a delegation from the American Jewish Congress led by Jack Rosen, the president of the association. The situation in the Middle East was discussed at the meeting.
Mr. Muselier also discussed with them the anti-Semitic acts that have been carried out in France. He reaffirmed our unequivocal condemnation of such acts and the absolute resolve of the French public authorities to condemn them and take all measures to bring the perpetrators to trial./.
Embassy of France, July 10, 2002
|
